The Ballad of the United States Egg, from Theft to Accident

The United States is currently grappling with high egg prices. Amidst these difficulties, there have been incidents that leave residents shaking their heads. The first incident involved the theft of approximately 100,000 eggs from a trailer truck in Antrim Township, Pennsylvania, last weekend. The second incident was an accident involving an egg transport truck in Los Angeles, which caused eggs to flood a section of the freeway.

Until Wednesday (February 5, 2025), the Pennsylvania police said they had not found any clues in the egg theft case. "We rely on tips from residents, from the community. So, we hope someone knows something and they will call us to provide some clues," said Megan Frazer, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania State Police.

The police are still tracking the possibility of witnesses who saw the incident. They are also examining surveillance cameras that could identify the thief. The cargo is valued at 40,000 US dollars (Rp 653 million).

"Throughout my career, I have never heard of 100,000 eggs being stolen. This is certainly unique," said Frazer, who has been a police officer for 12 years.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, on Tuesday (4/2/2025), highway patrol officers were busy managing traffic following an accident that caused eggs to scatter on the highway. The incident sparked jokes on the internet about how expensive the accident was due to the soaring price of eggs.

"The cargo is worth millions of US dollars," mentioned an account on Instagram. "I will voluntarily take all the unbroken eggs and we can leave from there," said another account.

The price of eggs has surged in the United States in recent weeks. Egg supplies have been disrupted due to an avian flu outbreak across the country. The wholesale price of a dozen eggs in California reached more than 8 US dollars (Rp 130,000) at the end of January. However, there are reports of consumers paying up to 15 US dollars (Rp 244,000).

The rise in egg prices could be bad news for President Donald Trump. When inaugurated in January, he promised to lower the prices of essential goods. (AP/AFP)